Psyched that he's using the Angel crew and shooting noir-ishly -- I love that look.

ETA: Reuters' report calls the second first episode a "prequel," inexplicably rejecting the term "Nyquil."

Whedon said the new first episode will allow him to select from previously shot footage to figure out "the most iconic way from what we had to introduce each character."

Added star Eliza Dushku, "And I didn't get to wear my leather pants in the pilot, so that was a deal-breaker."

. . .

"I wanted everybody to feel like Echo is in this terrible situation, slash, 'can somebody wipe my memory and feed me and put me in a wonderful spa and give me massages too?' " Whedon said of the elaborate set.